Electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece

Abstract

An inside notch (<HIL><PDAT>37</BOLD><PDAT>) serving as an adjusting section is provided for a magnetic balancing adjustment between stators (<HIL><PDAT>31 </BOLD><PDAT>and <HIL><PDAT>32</BOLD><PDAT>) and a rotor (<HIL><PDAT>12</BOLD><PDAT>). The inside notch acts to reduce cogging torque, thereby allowing the rotor to rotate using a slight torque. Therefore, the rotor can be more readily started without using a complicated structure, can be prevented from easily stopping due to an external disturbance, and can be made more reliable. In reducing the cogging torque, it is not necessary to reduce the number of magnetic flux lines by, for example, making a rotor magnet (<HIL><PDAT>12</BOLD><HIL><PDAT>b</ITALIC><PDAT>) smaller, making it possible to maintain the efficiency with which electrical power is produced.</PTEXT>

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       a mechanical energy source including a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, the generator including  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed, the arcuate portion having an adjusting section formed therein;  
       a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section comprises a metallic piece comprised of magnetic material formed on the arcuate portion and performs a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor.  
     
     
       2. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical energy transmitting device including a wheel train, wherein the mechanical energy accumulating device is a mainspring, and wherein the mechanical energy accumulated in the mainspring is transmitted to the generator through the wheel train. 
     
     
       3. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       a mechanical energy source including a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, the generator including  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed, the arcuate portion having an adjusting section formed therein;  
       a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section comprises a first pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion defining the stator hole and a second pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion, and wherein the adjusting section performs a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor; and  
       wherein the inside notch is formed at a location on the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion based on a direction of a magnetic pole of the rotor when the rotor is statically stable without the inside notch being formed.  
     
     
       4. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 3 , wherein each inside notch is formed within a predetermined angular range from the direction of the magnetic pole of the rotor with respect to the center of the rotor is statically stable. 
     
     
       5. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±40 degrees. 
     
     
       6. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±4 degrees. 
     
     
       7. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 3 , further comprising a mechanical energy transmitting device including a wheel train, wherein the mechanical energy accumulating device is a mainspring, and wherein mechanical energy accumulated in the mainspring is transmitted to the generator through the wheel train. 
     
     
       8. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 3 , wherein the stator has opposing arcuate portions separated by a gap, and wherein the first and second pairs of inside notches are respectively formed in opposing arcuate portions about 90 degrees from the gap. 
     
     
       9. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       mechanical energy means for generating and accumulating mechanical energy;  
       means for supplying electrical energy by generating an induced electromotive force in response to being driven by the mechanical energy means, the electrical energy supplying means including  
       rotor means for rotating in response to being driven by the mechanical energy means, and stator means having arcuate means for defining a stator hole in which the rotor means is disposed, the arcuate means having adjusting means formed therein for performing magnetic balancing adjustment between the rotor means and the stator means in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor means;  
       means for controlling a period of rotation of the electrical energy supplying means; and  
       means, rotatably coupled to the electrical energy supplying means, for indicating time;  
       wherein the adjusting means comprises a first pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate means defining the stator hole and a second pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion; and  
       wherein the first and second pairs of inside notches are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate means based on a direction of a magnetic pole of the rotor means when the rotor means is statically stable without the notch means being formed.  
     
     
       10. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 9 , wherein each notch is formed within a predetermined angular range from the direction of the magnetic pole of the rotor means with respect to the center of the rotor means when the rotor means is statically stable. 
     
     
       11. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±40 degrees. 
     
     
       12. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±4 degrees. 
     
     
       13. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       mechanical energy means for generating and accumulating mechanical energy;  
       means for supplying electrical energy by generating an induced electromotive force in response to being driven by the mechanical energy means, the electrical energy supplying means including  
       rotor means for rotating in response to being driven by the mechanical energy means, and stator means having arcuate means for defining a stator hole in which the rotor means is disposed, the arcuate means having adjusting means formed therein for performing magnetic balancing adjustment between the rotor means and the stator means in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor means;  
       means for controlling a period of rotation of the electrical energy supplying means; and  
       means, rotatably coupled to the electrical energy supplying means, for indicating time;  
       wherein the adjusting means comprises a first pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate means and a second pair of notch means formed at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate means, each notch means being formed into a semicircular shape having a radius in a range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.20 mm.  
     
     
       14. A method of forming an electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a mechanical energy source that includes a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       providing a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, including providing  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed;  
       forming an adjusting section in the arcuate portion;  
       providing a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section performs a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor; and  
       wherein the forming step comprises forming a first pair of inside notches at opposing locations on an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion defining the stator hole and forming a second pair of inside notches at opposing locations on the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion based on a direction of a magnetic pole of the rotor when the rotor is statically stable without the inside notch being formed.  
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the forming step comprises forming each inside notch within a predetermined angular range from the direction of the magnetic pole of the rotor with respect to the center of the rotor when the rotor is statically stable. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±40 degrees. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined angular range is ±4 degrees. 
     
     
       18. A method of forming an electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a mechanical energy source that includes a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       providing a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, including providing  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed;  
       forming an adjusting section in the arcuate portion, wherein the forming step comprises forming a first pair of inside notches at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion and forming a second pair of inside notches at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion, each inside notch being formed into a semicircular shape having a radius in a range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.20 mm;  
       providing a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       providing a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section performs a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor.  
     
     
       19. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       a mechanical energy source including a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, the generator including  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed, the stator hole having a guide member formed therein to guide the stator, the guide member including a metallic piece;  
       a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the guide member and the metallic piece cooperate to perform a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor.  
     
     
       20. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       a mechanical energy source including a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, the generator including  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed, the arcuate portion having an adjusting section formed therein;  
       a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section comprises a first pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion and a second pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion, the adjusting section performing a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor; and  
       wherein the shape of the coefficient K of each inside notch is in a range of about 0.0005 mm 2  to about 0.125 mm 2 .  
     
     
       21. An electronic controlling type mechanical timepiece, comprising: 
       a mechanical energy source including a mechanical energy accumulating device;  
       a generator operably coupled to, and adapted to be driven by, the mechanical energy source, the generator including  
       a rotor, and a stator having an arcuate portion defining a stator hole in which the rotor is disposed, the arcuate portion having an adjusting section formed therein;  
       a rotation controller operably coupled to the generator to control a period of rotation of the generator; and  
       a time indicator rotatably coupled to the generator;  
       wherein the adjusting section comprises a first pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in an inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion and a second pair of inside notches formed at opposing locations in the inner peripheral surface of the arcuate portion, the adjusting section performing a magnetic balancing adjustment between the stator and the rotor in order to reduce cogging torque of the rotor; and  
       wherein the inside notch is formed into a semicircular shape having a radius in a range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.20 mm.